Mongol motorcycle gang members arrested in California

More than 60 members of a Mongol motorcycle gang have been arrested in California for racketeering.

By Jon Swaine

8:40AM BST 22 Oct 2008

The charges brought against the Mongol Motorcycle Club, which is based in Southern California, span murder, attempted murder, assault, and gun and drug crimes.

Weapons seized from gang members

Prosecutors have confiscated the group's motorcycles - and applied to a judge for clearance to confiscate its trademarked gang name - meaning that no one would be allowed to wear a jacket or ride a motorcycle bearing the brand.

Thomas O'Brien, a US Attorney incolved in the case, said: "It would allow law enforcement to seize the leather jackets right off their back."

Mr O'Brien added that he believed the crackdown represented the highest number of arrests of a motorcycle gang in US history.

The operation, which was given the codename Black Rain, saw federal and regional police gain 110 arrest warrants and 160 search warrants across California, Nevada, Oregon, Colorado, Washington and Ohio. Among those arrested was Ruben Cavazos, the gang's former national president.

Mike Hoffman, a spokesman for California's Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, said: "It's going to be a large hit to their organization. We are arresting many of their top members."

Mr Hoffman said that the gang had been infiltrated by four agents from his department. After gradually winning the trust of the gang's leaders over several months, the agents were accepted as full members. They had to run tough errands and were subjected to background checks by private detectives working for the gang.

The agents were also forced to live away from their families in homes set up to look as though they lived a Mongol lifestyle, Mr Hoffman added. Four undercover women ATF agents pretended to be their biker girlfriends and attended parties with the agents.

Mr Hoffman explained: "If you go to a party all the time and you don't ever bring a girl around, it's kind of weird - someone might get suspicious."